That would give each of the 26,000 primary and secondary schools in England and Wales a budget uplift of 3.4%.

But the huge sum also gobbles up half of all the £50-£60bn extra money available for all ministries in the Autumn’s Whitehall-wide spending review, from the war chest that Mr Hammond has been building up for Brexit.

That means other key priorities for more cash, including reinforcing the creaking armed forces and hiring 20,000 more police officers, will be plunged into deep doubt.

Some ministers also oppose Mrs May’s plan to spread the money to all schools, even the prosperous ones in well off areas, rather than target money at struggling schools.

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Downing Street aides disputed the bypass claim last night and insisted Mrs May is still trying to talk round her neighbour in No11, but they did not rule out her appealing to the Cabinet if she failed.

A No10 source said: “We are trying to seek a position that is agreed between the key members of the Government before it is presented to Cabinet”.

A spokesman for the PM added: “This is not on the agenda for Cabinet next week”.

The Sun Says

THE Cabinet must revolt next week over Theresa May’s outrageous plan to buy ­herself a “legacy” with £27billion of public money. It is wrong and unworthy of her.

Some of her closest allies will not survive her departure. That is no reason now to help her force through a reckless spending spree which will hobble her successor post-Brexit.

The Treasury has built up that “war chest” to handle the uncertainties of our future as a newly independent nation. It is not there to be plundered to make up for Mrs May’s failures since 2016.

Chancellor Philip Hammond is fighting to stop it. All his colleagues, but especially those with good prospects under a new leader, must back him.

The Tories have a glimmer of a brighter future after three dismal years.

It will be a disgrace if outgoing ministers sabotage it trying to rewrite the past.

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Theresa May is hoping to have £27bn worth of spending for schools signed off before she resigns as PMCredit: Reuters